Lionsgate acquires a pitch from Jeff Richard and Mark Bianculli. The pair write a horror story about a series of bizarre and haunting occurrences that grip the Vatican. It will center on a renowned neuroscientist who is summoned by the inner circle of cardinals to find a logical explanation.

White smoke, in real life, is used in the Vatican to signal that a new Pope has been chosen. In March this year, a puff of white smoke emerged from the sacred chimney of the Sistine Chapel to announce to the world that conclave had chosen Pope Francis as the new leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics succeeding Pope Benedict XVI.

Blum is fresh off his successful producing gig in "Insidious Chapter 2". Made on a mere budget of $5 million, the film opened to an impressive $41 million in early September. It marked the third-biggest debut for a pure horror film and the second-highest opening for a September release.